Answers to Your Questions: Capricious Peppers and Climbing Ivy

Peppers With Falling Flowers

I’m having a problem with my green peppers. The first bloom falls off and my plants turn black at the junction of the branches and the central stem. I still have peppers in the fall, but they’re small and have black spots. What should I do?

Answer

Peppers should not be planted too early in the season, as cold spring nights cause the flowers to drop. Ideally, wait until nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 50°F (12°C). And as long as temperatures do not remain consistently above 68°F (20°C), there will be no fruit production. A cool summer will significantly delay pepper production.

As for the black spots, the problem seems to be anthracnose or fusarium, diseases that are common in soils where peppers or other Solanaceae (tomatoes, eggplants, etc.) are planted annually. Get into the habit of changing the planting location every year. Good drainage and watering at the base of the plants (not on the foliage) can also reduce the risk of fungal diseases spreading. Also, look for disease-resistant cultivars.

Can Ivy Damage a Structure?

I live in an all-concrete condo and would like to grow Boston ivy – of course, keeping it under control – to embellish certain surfaces. The condo owners claim it could damage the concrete. What’s your opinion?

Answer

The idea that climbers damage structures is an old belief that refuses to die. Even so-called experts repeat this falsehood from time to time, but I’d love someone to explain to me how such damage can be done. Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) attaches itself to stone, brick, concrete, wood, aluminum, vinyl, etc., by means of small suction cups (secondary branches) and short aerial roots (main branches). It stays entirely outside the structure and can’t infiltrate to cause cracks, as people imagine. This distinguishes it from English ivy (Hedera helix), which can be more aggressive with its adherent roots.

The Real Enemies

On the contrary, the worst enemies of a concrete structure are sun, water and the action of freezing and thawing… a covering of ivy protects against all three! Studies (notably by Oxford University and English Heritage) have even shown that climbing plants such as ivy can reduce thermal and moisture differentials on walls, prolonging the life of healthy masonry.

Tips

Obviously, if you pull the ivy off forcefully, the suckers and aerial roots may either remain stuck or take some paint with them (assuming the structure is painted). If you want to remove the ivy without any hassle, cut the branches at their base and leave them to wither completely. The suckers and roots will come away easily once they are dead.

However, you should avoid letting ivy grow into existing cracks: if it gets in, its growth can widen them over time.

Obviously, as you say yourself, some pruning will be necessary to prevent this plant from invading your gutters or blocking the view from your windows, as it is a very vigorous plant!

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Larry Hodgson published thousands of articles and 65 books over the course of his career, in both French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings accessible to the public. This text was originally published in Le Soleil.